


Different Skies

by SleepsWithCoyotes



Series: Different Skies [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games), Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Archival Fic, Crossover, Don't copy to another site, Gen, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:54:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25208023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepsWithCoyotes/pseuds/SleepsWithCoyotes
Summary: Riku looks like he belongs there.
Relationships: Ciel Phantomhive & Riku
Series: Different Skies [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1826203
Comments: 5
Kudos: 25





	Different Skies

**Author's Note:**

> Back to working on moving stuff over from the spambot...this one's from 2009, part of a Loveless request challenge on my journal. Madame Parker asked for Riku and Ciel.

In decent clothes, with his hair pulled back in a neat tail in lieu of a proper haircut, Ciel's Fighter fools nearly everyone into thinking he belongs exactly where he is wherever he happens to be: amidst the trappings of wealth, in high society, at Ciel's right hand. Which is fascinating, because he doesn't belong there in the slightest--except, perhaps, for that last, and even that is a matter for discussion. Ciel doesn't need a Fighter, hasn't needed one for three years...and yet, here Riku is, and Ciel doesn't know what to make of him.

Sebastian, predictably, is silent on the subject, though Ciel notices the demon treats Riku with the same not-quite-care as Lizzie. They _could_ have spent all their time circling and snapping at each other, but they seem to have a truce, which is stranger. Riku doesn't blow things up, at least, or knock things down, or use shoe polish on the banister.

" _That's the politest demon I've ever met_ ," Riku says the first night, after being introduced to Ciel's _butler_. Ciel doesn't ask how Riku knows. He snorts instead and says, " _You don't know him yet_."

Sebastian isn't _polite_.

But then again, neither is Riku.

"Another job from the Queen?" Riku asks, lounging against the glass of the tall windows at Ciel's back, watching him read his correspondence. Sebastian watches them both, politely impassive, waiting to be ordered to pack for a trip or to clear away the tea things. The second slice of chocolate torte, topped with fresh raspberries and drizzled lightly with a tartly sweet fruit sauce, remains untouched, but the completely pedestrian apple Ciel is convinced was one of Sebastian's little jests has been eaten down to the core, Riku smirking around every bite.

"Somewhere unpronounceably Welsh," Ciel replies, just to hear Sebastian 'tsk' at him. "People claiming to have been brainwashed into committing crimes. We're to go there as soon as possible."

Sebastian takes this as an order, slipping unobtrusively out at a glance from his master. Riku is a little more stubborn.

"Isn't this a job for...what, Scotland Yard?" he asks, like he has to wrack his memory for the name. "She seriously doesn't have anyone else she can send?"

"The Phantomhive family have always served the Queen," Ciel says blandly, more of a reminder than an argument. They've had this argument before.

Riku doesn't say _But you're just a kid_ this time. Ciel doesn't point out that Riku is sixteen, that silver hair doesn't make him any wiser.

"Pretty smart queen," Riku says instead, in a tone that says the exact opposite, "putting all her eggs in one basket."

Ciel wants to snap at him, nearly does anyway because Riku has a point, and he's never more annoying than when he's right. He is just like Sebastian in that way, and Ciel _hates_ it.

He settles for rolling his eyes, because for all his arrogance, all his irritating perfections, all the impossibilities and strangeness he takes in stride, Riku is fundamentally _different_ from him. Riku may know a demon when he sees one-- _Smells one_ , Riku has corrected him before--but he has no idea what it would take to summon one. He has darkness inside him strong enough to use as both weapon and armor, but it's inextricably linked with his light. He is a fighter but not a killer.

And he still has his ears, his tail.

"We're going," Ciel says. It's not open for discussion, couldn't be, even if the queen's orders weren't involved. He doesn't let Sebastian control him. He can't afford to let his Fighter affect his decisions either.

"Fine," Riku says, but he sounds amused, not angry, and he casually ruffles Ciel's hair as he steps away from the windows, starts for the door.

Ciel growls, flattening his hair back down with both hands, glaring at Riku's back.

It's just a stupid weakness that makes him wonder if his Fighter's hair is as soft as it looks, that makes him want to touch those silver ears, the ears Riku still doesn't seem used to, the way Ciel will never, _ever_ be used to missing his own.


End file.
